A third survivor of abuse has resigned from their position in the government’s inquiry into grooming gangs.
“Elizabeth” – a pseudonym – joins Fiona Goddard and Ellie Reynolds, who resigned from the inquiry’s victims and survivors liaison panel on Monday in protest.
In her resignation letter, Elizabeth stated that the process felt like “a cover-up” and had “created a toxic environment for survivors”.
Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips has denied claims of a cover-up, asserting the government’s commitment to “exposing the failures” in tackling “these appalling crimes”.
Elizabeth, from Rotherham, expressed her belief that the process had been “scripted and predetermined,” rather than arising from “honest, open dialogue with survivors”.
“This sense of control and stage-management has left many of us questioning whether our voices truly matter, or whether we are being used to legitimise decisions that have already been made,” she added.
Survivors have voiced concerns that the resignations could erode trust and confidence in the inquiry among other affected individuals.
Frustration is also mounting over the protracted delay in appointing a chairperson, with some interpreting this as a tactic to postpone potential revelations.
The government faces increasing pressure to develop a plan that satisfies the survivors at the heart of this issue.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced in June that a national inquiry into grooming gangs covering England and Wales would be established, with a panel of survivors to oversee the process.
However, a chairperson has yet to be appointed.
The BBC has learned that Annie Hudson, a former senior social worker who had been considered for the chairperson role, has withdrawn following recent media coverage regarding her candidacy.
Another individual under consideration is Jim Gamble, a former deputy chief constable.
Mr. Gamble recently met with survivors, with both parties reportedly engaging in constructive dialogue.
Ms. Goddard and Ms. Reynolds had previously questioned the suitability of the candidates shortlisted to chair the inquiry, arguing against individuals with backgrounds in policing or social work.
Ms. Goddard, who was abused by gangs while living in a Bradford children’s home, asserted that these services had “contributed most to the cover-up of the national mass rape and trafficking of children”.
Ms. Reynolds similarly argued that appointing “establishment insiders representing the very systems that failed us” as potential chairs would constitute a conflict of interest.
The three women allege that officials are attempting to dilute the inquiry by broadening its scope beyond grooming gangs to encompass wider issues of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
Elizabeth stated that she had observed “selective narratives being promoted – ones that appear to serve particular agendas, especially around issues of race and the narrative of widening the scope”.
Speaking to the BBC, she expressed her desire for a chair who was “legally” trained and “impartial”.
Elizabeth also described how the atmosphere on the panel “became quite toxic” amidst suspicion of leaks to the media.
Ms. Reynolds, who was abused by a gang of Pakistani brothers in Barrow, cited the move to broaden the inquiry “in ways that downplay the racial and religious motivations behind our abuse” as the “final turning point” in her decision to resign.
Phillips has refuted claims that the government is seeking to dilute the focus of the inquiry, insisting that its scope will remain “laser-focused”.
In a further statement on Tuesday, Ms. Goddard responded critically to Phillips’s comments, labeling her denials a “blatant lie”.
Ms. Goddard stated that “many” members of the survivors’ panel were not victims of grooming gangs, but of other forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation, and that only these individuals were advocating for a broader inquiry.
A Home Office spokesperson stated that the inquiry “will remain laser-focused on grooming gangs”, as Baroness Casey had recommended when calling for a national inquiry to be set up.
“In order to meaningfully consult with victims and survivors about the terms of reference, we need to ask them questions and listen to their responses,” the spokesperson added.
“That is not expanding the scope – it is ensuring their voices shape the inquiry.”
Responding to the resignations of Ms Goddard and Ms Reynolds in the House of Commons earlier, Phillips said she regretted the departure of the two women but added: “My door is always open to them.”
She also insisted “not all victims are of the same opinion” and she would continue to engage with all survivors.
Phillips added that the inquiry panel of victims from which Ms Reynolds and Ms Goddard resigned was not managed by the government, but by a grooming gang charity.
However, Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the government’s inquiry was “descending into chaos”.
He argued that ministers had been “forced” into holding the inquiry in June adding: “Perhaps that is why, months later, the government has said nothing substantive publicly.”
The Conservatives have called for the inquiry to be chaired by a senior judge to guarantee impartiality and restore faith in the process.
Phillips rejected that suggestion, arguing that Baroness Casey, who led a previous inquiry into the subject, had said she did not want a traditional judicial-led inquiry.
The minister also stressed the difficulty of finding a chair who was not attached to an institution “that didn’t fail these girls over the years, including our courts who took the children away from grooming gang victims, who criminalised some of them”.
“There is no institution in our country that hasn’t failed,” she added.
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